Kidnapped
by kpgrl0816
Summary: When Cindy is left alone one day, she's knocked out and kidnapped. Then, two years later, she's found and brought back home. But is she the same Cindy the gang knew? (Based on my favorite book, All Around the Town by Mary Higgins Clarke. With a JN twist,
1. Lost

**A/N: I don't own JN**

He couldn't believe it was happening. Who would do this to her? He'd been sitting in his lab for hours, trying to find where she'd been taken. But so far, nothing. He remembered walking home from school with her that day. She was so happy about being nominated for seventh grade beauty queen. He'd nominated her; though, of course, he hadn't said it. He tried to bring back every detail of their conversation that day with Libby, Carl, and Sheen, hoping to get some answers.

"I don't know who in their right mind would nominate you, VORTEX!" he'd said, laughing.

"_But Jimmy, I thought you..." Carl began, but catching Jimmy's glare, was silent._

"_Whatever, Neutron. I'm too happy to let even YOU bother me today!" she'd said, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder._

"_What are you gonna wear to the pageant, Cind?" Libby had asked then, turning her attention away from Sheen and toward Cindy._

But that was all that happened until they parted at their houses. Cindy had told him she was home alone again because her parents had went on some "business trip" and left her at home. Something told him to invite her over...something told him not to leave her alone. But he didn't listen.

"_Bye Vortex."_

"Bye Jimmy."

If he'd just known this would happen! He could've stopped it! He felt it was all his fault. All his fault that cops had been outside her house for days. All his fault he'd never see her again. All his fault that Cindy Vortex had been kidnapped.

* * *

Cindy awoke to the sound of an engine roaring. She rubbed her head, feeling a huge knot on it. Where was she? What had happened? She sat up and looked around. She was in a car, she could tell that. But who's car, she didn't know. 

"If this is one of Neutron's tricks..." she thought, but then decided against it. Jimmy didn't even have a car and his parents' car was a blue convertible. The car she was in was an old Cadillac. She looked at the driver. She didn't know him! That was when she remembered. She'd been at home, alone. She must have been knocked out and kidnapped!

"Well, babe, I see you're awake. Ready to go home?"

"What are you talking about? I don't even know you! Let me out of here!" she kicked and screamed and did everything she could to draw attention to herself but it was no use. They were on a backcountry road, and there wasn't a house or car for miles.

"Of course, you do. I'm your boyfriend, remember? You hit your head and we were just about to go to our house," the man said, smiling evilly.

"You can't fool me! I know exactly who I am and I don't even have a boyfriend! And why would I live with my boyfriend anyways? I'm twelve! I know about my life and you can't tell me otherwise, buddy, so you let me out of here now and I won't tell the police!"

"Oh, I know you won't tell the police. You'll never tell anyone. You'll forget that old life of yours and the people in it. Or I can arrange it so they won't be there for you to remember!"

Cindy started to cry. She felt nauseous and started to puke. He slapped her and commanded her to clean it up. She had nothing but her shirt, so she used that.

"Now go back to sleep, darling."

She laid back down and began to shake. Only one thing came to her mind and she mumbled it silently to herself over and over again to comfort herself.

"Jimmy. Jimmy. Jimmy."

The car parked at an old firehouse. He commanded her to go in, so she obeyed.

"You are so pretty."

Cindy had seen movies and read books on this sort of thing and hated where it was going. She began to cry again and he slapped her.

"There's nothing to cry about, baby. I'm here."

He took her in his arms and she shuddered at the horrid smell and feel of him. She tried to pull away but he held her close.

What happened next, she didn't know, because she fainted.

* * *

School was torture. Everything reminded Jimmy and Libby of Cindy. Her cheerleading trophies that mounted the walls of Lindbergh Middle, her empty seat in all their classes, even her locker that they had to pass by to leave school. It was like Cindy was a part of them, a part they felt empty without. They moped through school, not wanting to be there at all. 

"Jimmy! I asked did you have your report?" Ms. Raybon asked.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, Ms. Raybon."

He turned in his half-finished report and sighed, uncaring that it wasn't finished and wishing Cindy was there to shove it in his face. She'd been gone for months now. He'd almost given up, as he could tell Libby had. The joy was gone from her eyes and not even Sheen could put it back. She walked into class, late again. Jimmy knew she'd been in the bathroom crying. He offered her a weak smile. She nodded but barely acknowledged him at all.

Ms. Raybon sighed, knowing the problem with her class, "Class, I know you're all upset about Cynthia's disappearance, as am I, but we mustn't let this worry us to the extent that we quit working hard, because when Cynthia returns, which she will, I know she'll be upset to hear you all stop believing."

The class tried to perk up, but it was no use. Without Cindy, school just wasn't the same.

"If she ever comes back," Libby promised herself and God, "I'll never leave her again."

* * *

Days, weeks, months went by. Cindy tried to keep count, but eventually gave up. She didn't care about anything. She tried to remember her life before this, but nothing came to her after awhile. Everyday was a blur. The man, Toby, went to work during the day and he locked her in the storm cellar. That was Cindy's favorite part of the day. She'd sit for hours and think about running away. Running to a better life. One she'd dreamed about, but never had. But then, he'd come home, and she would hide inside her mind, never having to feel the pain, the horror, that he put her through. 

She'd have dinner sometimes, if she could hold it down. Then she'd walk up to her room and go to sleep, dreaming of her fairy tale life. One where she had parents that loved her. One where she had friends. And one where Prince Charming would come and rescue her from the evil monster.

**So watcha thing? R/R & let me know, k?**


	2. Found or is she?

**Thanks to all of yall that reviewed my last chapter (& btw..Cindy is going to found!) Hope yall like my new chapter!**

Two years without Cindy. Jimmy didn't think he'd make it that long, but he did. It was the very day Cindy had gone missing. He, Libby, Sheen, and Carl were meeting up to talk about it later at the Candy Bar. Jimmy really didn't want to but his mom and Libby had assured him it would help. He didn't see how. No one could make the pain he'd felt and still felt about Cindy being gone any better, except for Cindy, and that wasn't going to happen. He'd given up hope. Everyone had.

Ms. Carpenter turned on the news for her current events class that morning, as she always did. Jimmy never really paid attention to the news but something caught his ear.

"Yes, I repeat, fourteen-year-old Cynthia Vortex, missing for two years, has been found ten miles north of Miami, Florida. Her parents will escort Miss Vortex home in two days. When questioned, they had this to say."

The screen turned to Cindy's mom and dad, tears flowing down both of their cheeks. Her dad spoke first, "We are just overjoyed to have our baby back. We hope to return to our normal lives and forget any of this ever happened."

Cindy's mom's voice was shaky, but excited as she said, "Yes, forget it ever happened. Our Cynthia is home!"

She began to cry again and her husband's arms went protectively around his wife's shoulders.

"Mr. And Mrs. Vortex are denying press to question Cynthia at this time," the news announcer came back onto the screen with a happy smile, "But may we from CNN say that we are just as thrilled to have this young lady back home where she deserves to be."

Jimmy just stared at the screen as shouts came from his classmates. Cindy? Coming home? He just couldn't believe it. It had been two years and he was finally getting to see Cindy again!

"Jimmy! Can you believe it? Cindy's coming home!" he heard a ecstatic Libby said beside him.

"No, Libby. I really can't," he said, the suspicion in his voice apparent.

She frowned at him, confused, "I thought you of all people would be glad, Jimmy. What's wrong?"

He didn't know. He really didn't. But he shook it off and smiled, "Nothing, Libby. I am happy."

Even if something was wrong, as something told him it was, he wouldn't upset Libby like he was upsetting himself. She'd been through enough. Let her be happy for the first time in two years. At least, for now.

* * *

He threw her in the back of the old Cadillac she'd rode in before, she didn't know how long ago. He seemed angry, even more so than usual. She almost asked him why he was so angry, but thought twice about it. She hated the sound and feel of that hand across her face.

He drove and drove and drove. He finally stopped at a service station and turned to her.

"I'm leaving you here. I want you to tell the owner tomorrow where you're from and who you are. You are to say NOTHING about me! Because if you do, I will come for you. You and all your little friends that you adore so much."

He shoved her from the car, and drove off. She sat down, sick to her stomach again. She waited until the owner came the next morning.

"Who are you, miss?" she asked.

Cindy stared at her before answering, "I don't know."

* * *

When Libby was told when Cindy would be getting home, she rushed to Cindy's house to prepare. She put Cindy's room just the way it was before she left: pink fluffy bedspread, computer in the corner, everything. She put Cindy's favorite CD in the CD player in the hallway, and sat Cindy's favorite books on her bed. She picked up Cindy's favorite meal at the Candy Bar and sat it on the table. Finally, she surrounded the meal with Cindy's favorite pictures: one of Libby and Cindy when they started preschool together, one of coming back from Intergalactic Showdown with Sheen, Jimmy, Carl, and Bolbi, and one of Cindy and Jimmy at a booth at the Candy Bar. They were frowning at each other, as if they didn't want to be there, but you could tell they really did.

Libby happened to walk by the bathroom then and looked into the mirror. She had changed in those two years. Would Cindy recognize her? She'd let her black hair grow down to her waist and she wore it down most of the time. She wore a red halter-top and black pants. She quickly rushed to her house and changed into the yellow tank top and blue jean shorts she'd been wearing the day Cindy was kidnapped.

When Libby thought about that day, she frowned at herself. She shouldn't have let Sheen walk her home that day. She should've went to Cindy's as she'd planned and none of this would've happened.

But she quickly shook the thought off for the time being. She needed to be happy when she saw Cindy and Cindy needed to know she was happy. Libby rushed downstairs as she heard the car pull into the driveway.

Everyone began to cheer when Mr. And Mrs. Vortex led a scared, shaking Cindy out of the car. Libby ran out the door and she saw TV crews trying to get Cindy's attention. She grabbed Cindy gently by the hand and pulled her into the house as Mr. And Mrs. Vortex talked to the media crews.

Cindy looked around unknowingly at the house. She didn't speak to her family or Libby, whom was spending the night. Cindy ate dinner quickly, her eyes never leaving the plate, and when she was finished, she cleared her plate and the table.

"Cynthia, you don't have to do that," her mother said.

"Mrs. Vortex, I think it'll be better if we just let her be for now," Libby said.

After dinner, they all went into the living room to watch TV. Cindy denied their offer to sit on the couch, but instead, chose a spot on the floor. She also denied a bath and panicked at the suggestion of going up to bed.

"Don't worry, Cindy," Libby told her, "You don't have to go to bed right now."

"Libby, is she afraid of us?" Mrs. Vortex murmured, weeping slightly.

"No, she's afraid to go to bed."

Cindy laid down on the floor and went to sleep. Libby helped her up to bed and laid down beside her, so happy she was home but wishing she was the old Cindy they knew.

Cindy slept late the next morning. Libby helped Mrs. Vortex make her breakfast. They heard Cindy walk down the stairs a little later, her baby blue nightgown that was once too long for Cindy to wear, now nearly above her knees.

She walked over to her mother and sighed, "Mom, you'll never believe this! Yesterday, I got nominated for seventh grade beauty queen, and Neutron said he can't believe someone would nominate me! Can you believe that?"

**R/R & make me happy! :)**


	3. The Candy Bar

**A/N: Sorry about the wait everbody! My friend, Nicole borrowed my All Around the Town book that I'm using as a reference for this story & I haven't been able to get it back! Hope yall like the new chapter! R/R please! :)**

Jimmy went to see Cindy the next week. But the girl he saw wasn't the same Cindy Vortex he'd known. This girl wore her beautiful blonde hair in a loose rugged ponytail and her green eyes showed fear and nervousness around everyone. Everyone, that is, except Libby.

When Jimmy suggested they get Sheen and Carl and take Cindy to the Candy Bar, Cindy clung to Libby the entire day, never speaking to the rest of them, but smiling sometimes when she'd notice something funny.

They all seemed happy enough, but Jimmy knew that Cindy would never feel protected without Libby around. And when he told Libby this, she nodded.

"I know. But I can't leave her."

"Try giving her a little space. It'll hurt her at first, but it'll help her in the long run."

After a few days Cindy began to look forward to the daily trips to the Candy Bar and began to be a lot more social, especially around the boys, so Libby decided to take Jimmy's advice.

"Cindy, I'm going to go get our food," Libby said, "You stay here with Sheen, Jimmy, and Carl ok?"

Cindy looked hesitant, but nodded.

"I'll help you, Libs!" Sheen said, eagerly, smiling.

When they left, Cindy looked at Jimmy and Carl and said plainly, as if she were commenting on the weather, "Libby likes that boy."

Jimmy laughed, "Yeah, right, Cindy. Libby thinks Sheen is an annoying nuisance. And she'd get rid of him if she could. And trust me she's tried!"

Cindy shook her head, "No, she likes him, I can tell."

"How?" Carl asked.

"Because she gets all smiley and her eyes look all happy when she's around him, like a fairy tale princess. And she talks about him a lot. And when she talks about all of you, she uses his name first every time."

Jimmy and Carl looked at each other, then at Cindy.

"How did you know all that?" Jimmy asked.

"I might not remember my life two years ago, but I'm not stupid! And I have a picture at home with all of us in it. Libby said we were on a spaceship we won or something like that. And she was looking at him in it. I like that picture."

"Do you remember winning that spaceship, Cindy?" Jimmy asked hopefully.

Cindy sighed, "Nope, I'm sorry, Jimmy. I looked at those pictures for hours, but I don't remember being there. Are you mad at me?"

"No, of course not. It's not your fault."

Cindy smiled, "Good."

"Well, here's the food!" Sheen exclaimed, putting down the tray and taking his seat.

Libby sat back down beside Cindy and smiled, "So, were you ok?"

"Yep! I was fine, Libby, and how were you?" Cindy replied, smiling at her question.

Libby looked at Jimmy menacingly and received nothing but a shrug "Fine, Cindy. Why do you ask?"

"Why did you ask me?"

Jimmy, Carl, and Sheen laughed. Cindy was right. She may not remember those two years, but she was still smart and could tongue-tie anyone with her witty comebacks. Libby just stared at her.

**Sorry this chapter is so short, but I wanted to begin part 2 by itself! (You'll understand when I post it! LOL)**


	4. Part 2

**A/N: Sorry about the wait!! Algebra really gets to you! Ha Ha! Well, here's ch.4! Its kind of confusing, I know, but everything eventually comes into place! R/R please!**

PART 2- 7 years later

Jimmy and Libby carefully kept an eye on Cindy as the pallbearers brought the two brown caskets carrying Cindy's parents. Cindy just looked from Jimmy to Libby, whom were seated on each side of her, then back at the preacher as he delivered the eulogy. She was tearless, but distant, as if mesmerized.

"Mom, Dad, I promise I'll be more careful at home alone," Cindy whispered.

"Cindy," Libby whispered.

Cindy looked up at her with unseeing eyes, then turned and studied the crowded church, "So many people." Her voice sounded weak and young.

Through the grief, Cindy suddenly felt terror, "He's here! He's here," she whispered, not even loudly enough for Libby and Jimmy to hear her.

She began to shake and fell to the floor screaming the entire time, "No! No! Don't hurt them, please!"

* * *

He came back to kill Jimmy and Libby and Sheen and Carl! He's coming closer, closer! She has to save them! But as she gets closer, they move away. All her fault. All her fault.

Cindy woke from her horrible dream and looked around, sweating. She was in her bedroom. It was dark. What had happened?

She remembered. The church! He was at the church!

"Jimmy! Libby!" she cried, "Jimmy, Libby, where are you?"

* * *

He decided to stay at the Holiday Inn on West 10th street, "It's classy for a Holiday Inn," he told his wife, Amana.

He'd told her he needed to stop in Retroville for the funeral of his aunt and uncle. He hated lying to her, but he had to see Cindy, just one time. She was the only child he'd kept for a long amount of time. He'd spotted her once in some small eating-place, with a brown-headed boy, eating an ice cream, and ever since had become obsessed with her. When he'd left Retroville for a job in Miami, he had stopped by her house just one last time, hoping to get a glimpse of her. However, she wasn't home; nor where her parents. He guessed they'd all gone out together, so he parked his car on the corner and waited. He watched as she walked down the street with that same boy from the restaurant, and walked inside, alone. He'd snuck carefully inside, knocked her over the head, and took her with him.

"I love that girl," Toby said to himself.

* * *

Libby and Jimmy mutually decided to hire a psychiatrist to see Cindy weekly after the funeral. Sheen had told them about a Dr. Devon Jordan that his uncle had seen after his aunt's death, so they called him and asked for an immediate appointment.

"She blames herself for her parents' deaths," Libby said into the receiver.

"Why would she blame herself for that?"

"Because they were bringing her a new car to Retroville University where she's working as a teaching assistant. And she feels that's her fault," Libby said, frightfully, "She's also having a recurring nightmare that involves deaths, though she won't tell me much more."

Dr. Jordan remembered Cindy's disappearance, and his fascination that she completely lost her memory of those two years. One of his colleagues had tried to talk to Cindy, but she refused to talk to anyone, but two of her friends, a boy and the girl he was talking to now.

"Libby, I need to see Cindy. But I think it'll be wise if I talk to you and some of Cindy's friends first."

"Are you free this afternoon, Doctor?"

* * *

Libby and Jimmy drove up to Dr. Jordan's office, while Sheen and Carl sat with Cindy. As Jimmy turned into the parking lot of Dr. Jordan's office, he turned toward Libby who was sitting in the passenger seat, silently staring out her window. She hadn't spoken the entire trip and when they stopped she didn't budge.

"Libby?"

"I'm ok. Let's go," she said, shaking off her terrified feeling and smiling weakly.

Jimmy answered most of Dr. Jordan's questions, "Yes, Cindy was very different when she came back. I could tell she'd been abused, but Mr. And Mrs. Vortex had enough on their hands, I could tell."

"Was she examined when she was returned?"

"Yes, at one of the hospitals in Miami."

"And what about the dream?"

"She keeps having it and waking up screaming for Libby or me. She shakes horribly and cries out loudly. She's also very uncomfortable around strangers."

Libby took a deep breath, "Mostly guys. She never went back to school for the fear she felt around them. Mr. and Mrs. Vortex home schooled her. The only ones she feels comfortable around are Sheen, Jimmy, and Carl. She never wanted to date or go out like she did before she was kidnapped."

Jimmy smiled slightly, noticing Libby used Sheen's name first, just like Cindy had said.

"I'd like to meet with Cindy tomorrow around ten if that's ok."

**I know it was a little longer than most of my chapters, and a REALLY bad cliffhanger but I got a little over-excited writing it! Ha Ha! R/R! THANKS!**


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